Oh, there’s a few more things I need yet. A belt. The matching leggings for the arena gear. Perhaps the chest. I’ll get my new weapons in Northrend. The beta has shown me there is a cat form staff in the Borean Tundra, and a bear form staff in the Howling Fjord, available from introductory quests in each zone.

And in the case of my lovely wife, the beautiful Itarilde, who’s been there with Greenclaw most every step of the way, I’d be remiss not to give her my undying Thanks! for all her good tanking.

P.S. And for the observant, yes, that is Braxxis’ Staff of Slumber, which is a tanking staff. My cat form weapon, and that’s the form that I primarily fight in, is the Staff of Beasts which I got after beating the Ogre’s best in the Ring of Blood. The reason you see Slumber, and not Beasts, is that my humanoid outfit is my bear outfit. If I’m surprised, and knocked into combat before I can react with a gear swap, I’m already in my bear/tank/surviveability outfit. I just switch to bear form and I’m ready. Cat battles are usually initiated from stealth, and if you can stealth, you can swap your gear. I use the ItemRack addon for the swaps.

P.P.S. A note for the casuals and the soloists: What you see me wearing is the so-called “welfare epics.” Greenclaw’s not set foot in one dungeon in the Outlands. He’s been in, maybe, all of 3 in his career. (I remember the Scarlet Monastery, and a nut case made that trip a fiasco, and that’s all I can remember. Oh, the wife and I duo’d parts of Maradaun. Not once into a dungeon in the Outlands.) I blew past 60 without pausing to pick up one single piece of level 60 pvp gear. The only pvp gear I ever spent honor on has been the collected stuff in the screenshot. I purposefully went after getting the Season 1 helm because I wanted the antlers to honor Cenarius. Then I delayed further expenditures until I could buy the Season 2 shoulders because I wanted the shoulders that flourished with life. The gloves I got because I had a lot of marks. Now I’ve got 17 Warsong marks, and 10k honor. Those leggings will be mine shortly. Again, I’ve never been in an Outlands instance, and between the wife and I I’ve managed to equip myself fairly well. I’ll add my biggest expenditure was a recent 400 gold spent on gems for this gear. The Slumber I picked up for 40g at the Auction House. I also spent a little bit here and there keeping my gear current for my spec and my level. I never paid outrageous prices, and dinged 70 with over 700 gold in hand. Be smart and find the quests you can get done that’ll provide you with good gear for your playstyle. I dinged 70 wearing gear from a Hellfire Penninsula quest, and the Warden’s Hauberk from the Cenarian Expedition. WoWhead is a great resource to help you find that equipment. And if you happen to find yourself in a Battleground, and you’re not the best, i.e. max, level for melting faces, do your best to be the most help you can. Healing is never rejected. Being a nuisance is underrated. Stay stealthed and report troop movements. Hit them where it hurts. You can help, so do it. Bottom line is everyone, with patience, a thick skin, familiarity with the game, and a good attitude, has access to some of the best gear available in the game.